Those familiar with Thai cuisine know about the five mouth-watering flavors that come along with it. Even those less familiar can generally associate at least one of the five. Like no other cuisine, your favorite Lexington Thai restaurant loves to incorporate authenticity through flavor. In nearly every dish served, our chefs take pride in delighting the senses through a combination of these flavors.
However, this is not an easy task. The secret in creating the most authentic dining experience lies within the balance of these flavors. With influences from Western and Eastern old-world cuisine, Thai cuisine introduces a marriage of the two, providing a unique experience. No wonder Thai cuisine is one of the most popular worldwide!
Possibly one of the most commonly associated flavors of Thai cuisine is the spice. As mentioned, even those with less exposure to Thai food often know that with Thai comes spice. Through the use of various Thai peppers, garlic, ginger, and other elements, several variations of Thai spice levels are achieved. While delicious, Thai spice is generally misunderstood. For example, did you know that you have full control over the amount of spice in your dish? It’s true. Be sure to check out our previous article to learn more about the intriguing facts associated with Thai spice levels.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have bitter. While spice is predominant, bitter leaves more of an impression with the use of bitter melon and raw leaves from various plants. While bitter isn’t for everyone, luckily, it is one flavor that doesn’t make many appearances.
Another commonly associated flavor is the sweetness within Thai cuisine. Depending on the meal, different types of sugars are used to sweeten the dish. Generally, palm sugar is the go-to choice. There are two forms of palm sugar which are created from the nectar of two separate sources – coconut tree or sugar palm tree. Palm sugar is found in popular dishes like pad Thai and sticky rice.
Next, we come to sour. Many dishes contain hints of sour, but with Thai soups and salads, the flavor is predominant for many. With the use of tamarind, lime juice, lemongrass, and sour fruits like mango and pineapple, this flavoring is quickly established.
Thai cuisine obtains its salty flavoring through unexpected means – fish sauce. As the equivalent of salt, fish sauce is one of the most popular ingredients found in a Thai kitchen. Now you may be wondering what is fish sauce? In its purest form, the sauce is the liquid resulting from the fermentation of anchovies and salt over 12 to 18 months.
As the only Lexington Thai restaurant to provide a truly authentic experience, our family at White Coconut Thai invites you to experience the flavors of Thailand for yourself. Our dedication to providing only best, most authentic cuisine ensure our customers an experience like no other. But don’t take our word for it, visit us today and experience the best Thai food in the region!